1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for controlling bacteria, fungi and spores (sporulating bacteria) which comprises applying thereto a 2-(OR.sub.1)-5-(OR.sub.2)-di(or tetra)hydrofuran, to a process for the preparation of said furans, and to a novel furan.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chemicals as well as physical procedures are suitable for disinfection and sterilization of objects such as surgical instruments. For example, physical procedures, such as heatand steam sterilization, and the use of ionizing radiation or ultrasonics have proved to be of practical use. However, their general applicability is limited by several factors, such as the need for expensive equipment and skilled personnel, and danger inherent in improper use.
Chemical disinfection and sterilization procedures have the advantage that they are more generally applicable and less expensive than physical procedures. However, a marked disadvantage of many known chemical processes is the toxicity to man of the active ingredients employed. For example, ethylene oxide is a toxic agent and .beta.-propiolactone is known to have carcinogenic effects. Of the less toxic classes of chemical substances, many are suitable for use as disinfecting agents because they possess good bactericidal properties, but few are known which combine sporicidal activity with environmental compatibility.
Some aldehydes are known which are bactericidal as well as sporicidal; among these are formaldehyde, glyoxal, glutardialdehyde, and other saturated dialdehydes (cf. DT-OS No. 1,492,326). The use of these aldehydes for the purpose of disinfection and sterilization, however, is fraught with disadvantages: formaldehydes in the required concentration has a disagreeable poignant odor; glyoxal has insufficient bactericidal activity; glutaraldehyde and other saturated dialdehydes have a disagreeable poignant odor, and exhibit sporicidal activity only in a mildly alkaline environment in which they are not stable over longer periods of time.
A number of compounds belonging to the class of 2-(OR.sub.1)-5-(OR.sub.2)-di(or tetra)hydrofurans employed in the method of this invention are described in the literature, e.g., where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are identical and are methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isopentyl, cyclohexyl and allyl in the case of dihydrofuran, and methyl, ethyl and allyl in the case of tetrahydrofuran. However, the prior art does not teach that the dihydrofurans and tetrahydrofurans employed in the method of this invention possess bactericidal, fungicidal and sporicidal activity.